Jack and Jill, my Jack Dempsey growth and development thread.

[Jexnell]

In this thread I will be introducing you all to Jack and Jill my Jack Dempseys. I will regularly post updates and new pics.
Tank 55gal, filter Auqaclear 110, airstone as well for more surface agitation.
Temp set to78, PH from the tap at 7.8
I feed them Hikari gold pellets, mealworms, crickets and bloodworm on occasion as treats.
At the moment I live in an apt and can only have up to 55g tanks. In six months we are moving into a house and will upgrade their tank then.
This started with me getting six juvenile cichlids, you see I have been out of the hobby for about a decade or more so I wanted to pick out one as a wet pet after I got to see it grow some, who had a great personality.
Of the six I got a normal Jack Dempsey and an Electric Blue Jack Dempsey.

First in tank pics of Jack and Jill

Ther were both 1.5in when I got them. Within ten minutes or so they were swimming together and starting to take claim to an area of the tank.
Overtime thier bond grew and grew

So I decided that I was going to keep the Jacks and ended up taking the other 3 cichlids back to the LFS after a week or two of posting them here in the marketplace for free (an Oscar in the group of 6 I got moved into its own tank, a husband for it as well [Toni and Nemo another of my threads]). So I rearanged the tank and got some plants for it now that its just for the pair of Jacks and a pack of giant danios.

This is what my tank looks like now.
These last two pics were taken just this morning they are now 3in long and loving having the tank all to themselves.

 

[Adam Fisher]

They look to be doing well.

 

[kiwiraka]

Nice fish!
Are you finding they're growing at different rates? Or quite similar?
I'm wanting to get an EBJD, but they're $100NZ dollars over here!

 

[Jexnell]

So far they have grown at the same pace. I will kerp that in mind and see if it stays the same, it may with the male being the EB. Or she could outgrow him. Only time will tell.

 

[YankeeJack]

Great fish!!!

 

[Jexnell]

So currently this tank does not have a pleco or any catfish for bottom cleaning.
I live near The Wetspot fish store so I can get anything on there website in person. I am looking for one, or the other, or both that will get along with the Jacks and stay at or under 6in.

For pleco I was think either a Blue Phantom L-128 or a Blue Panaque L-239

I was thinking of spotted Raphael cat maybe, any others stay around 6in?

I have a Blue Phantom, and Raphael cats in my Oscar tank so was looking for a bit of a change.

 

[Jexnell]

Update

Since last post it seems like Jack has gained some ground on Jill and is now longer than her by about 1/4 of an inch.


The tank got a make over some with addition of more plants and a new friend.


There is now an Orange Seam pleco residing in the tank.
Here you can see the addition of some more crypts, and a sword added to the right side of the tank. I also dropped a few flat rocks in. I read that JDs reach sexual maturity at six months, I have had them almost four now, and breeders have then for a couple so the six month mark will be rolling around soon.


The left hand side got 10 Italian Vals


They even dug out a pit under the driftwood


There is enough room under there for them to swim upright. They still spend all day together flashing at each other and the like.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

They look great!

 

[Jexnell]

They look great!

Thanks, I really lucked out getting a pair out of just 2 fish. Its neet seeing the coloring differences between the 2 color varieties. Also the male female differences. Jack's dorsal fin is getting longer dont know if JDs get streamers like some fish do but it looks like he may.

 

[Jexnell]

A couple pics

Jill playing catch me if you can.



The pair flashing at each other.



You dont see us!